Humalog and Levemir!

I have been taking Levemir and Humalog for a couple of years- before I was on Lantus and Humalog and before that (!) on Humalin and Humalog... I take a split dose of Levemir 11 at night and 8 in the morning and then I take Humalog whenever I eat - approx 1.5 unit / 10g carb. I have been recently recommended to take half my Humalog dose at the beginning of the meal and half after I have finished eating- works well if you eat lots of slow/ low GI foods or more protein than carb at a meal which often means you end up with a low reading PP and then it shoots up later. Sounds as if I am in control- used to be! Now seem to be type 1 with type 2 insulin resistance... Good luck

Hi,
My 10yr old son takes both these insulins, at present he's on 20u of Levemir before bed and between 5 and 12u after meals. We carb count so thats why the humalog varies and he injects after meals, so as we inject for exactly what hes eaten. It took a while to settle on the Levemir ( its his 5th basal insulin, and was diagnosed 3 1/2 yrs ago) but he's happy enough now.
Suzi x

I've been on Levemir for about 2.5 years, before this Glargine for about 3 years (which I didn't have major problems with but couldn't adjust dose adequately). Been on Humalog since the time I started Glargine.
Currently take Levemir split dose of around 4.5 and 5 units and Humalog between 1 and 1.5 units per 10 carbs, varies with time of day/month.
Originally started on 14 units at bedtime (previously had 16 of Glargine) but at 8 units was still hypo during night. DAFNE clarified it wasn't lasting through the day.

I have my best control ever on this regime (HbA1c down from 9 to 6.6 despite varying insulin resistance/erratic monthly cycle). No plans to change unless I need a pump.

I take Humalog and Levemir too.

Humalog with breakfast (3 units), Humalog with lunch (2-3 units), Humulin with dinner (7 units) and Levemir (8 units) as a basal, split 4 at bedtime and 4 in the morning.
They're good insulins in my experience but in the words of Mies van de Rohe, less is more!

fergus

I can only tell you that for my 10yr old his units of humalog are of a ratio to carb counting, it varies during the day ie. 1u to 10g to 1 1/2u to 10g of carbs depending on time of day and type of carb. Remebering that he's growing and hitting puberty soon, his will vary significally to that of an adults. As for his intake of Levimer, even his is higher at 20u before bed than that of Fergus.
Each persons insulins needs varies, i can compare my son to other children and he is taking almost double, but it works for him. An idea of childrens requirements is take his basal amount and add his bolus the total should come close to weight in Kg, ie 20u Levimer plus average of Humalog 22u equals 42u and he weighs in about 43Kg, again each days food requirements differ, but its close. Not sure if this works for adults.
Your dosage does seem high, even for an adult, if your unhappy with the amount of insulin you take talk to your DN and have a go at carb counting.
Take care
Suzi x

They are big doses jskaife although it's certainly true that everyone is different.
I'm a lucky type 1 :shock: , which often means little or no insulin resistance. Others can become more insulin resistant over time as a consequence of larger doses - it's a feedback loop.
Larger doses are usually a result of a high carb diet, insulin resistance, or both.

All the best,

fergus

Fergus hit the nail on the head: 65 units in one go? That's a hell of a dose for one sitting. I used to take large dose injections of a background insulin (lantus and levemir at various points in the past) - splitting the dose into two made all the difference. You should pester your consultant about it.